American Airlines has emerged as the leading U.S. carrier in the 2025 AirHelp global airline rankings, ranking 11th worldwide. The latest assessment, released by AirHelp, a company specializing in passenger rights and compensation claims, evaluated 117 airlines worldwide based on three critical parameters. These included on-time performance, customer satisfaction, and processing efficiency for compensation claims.
Despite falling seven positions from its impressive fourth-place finish in 2024, American Airlines maintained its competitive edge over domestic rivals United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which ranked 13th and 15th, respectively.
Global Leaders And American Airlines’ Performance
The 2025 AirHelp rankings revealed a clear dominance of Middle Eastern and European carriers in the global aviation industry. Qatar Airways claimed the top position with an impressive score of 8.16, reclaiming its crown after briefly falling to second place in 2024. Following closely behind were Etihad Airways from the United Arab Emirates in second place with a score of 8.07, and Virgin Atlantic from the United Kingdom in third place with a score of 8.03.
American Airlines ranked first among U.S. carriers with an overall AirHelp score of 7.64. According to AirHelp, while United Airlines and Delta Air Lines demonstrated better on-time performance and received more favorable customer ratings, American Airlines excelled in the crucial area of claim processing, giving it a competitive edge over its domestic competitors.
Other major U.S. airlines also struggled to compete globally, with Frontier Airlines ranking 36th, Hawaiian Airlines 50th, Southwest Airlines 52nd, Alaska Airlines 76th, and JetBlue 89th.
Top 10 Global Airlines In 2025 AirHelp Rankings
- Qatar Airways (Qatar) – AirHelp Score: 8.16
- Etihad Airways (United Arab Emirates) – AirHelp Score: 8.07
- Virgin Atlantic (United Kingdom) – AirHelp Score: 8.03
- Qantas (Australia) – AirHelp Score: 7.99
- KM Malta Airlines (Malta) – AirHelp Score: 7.85
- Aeromexico (Mexico) – AirHelp Score: 7.84
- Oman Air (Oman) – AirHelp Score: 7.82
- Saudia (Saudi Arabia) – AirHelp Score: 7.69
- Brussels Airlines (Belgium) – AirHelp Score: 7.66
- LOT Polish Airlines (Poland) – AirHelp Score: 7.65
Top US Airlines
- American Airlines – (globally ranked No. 11; AirHelp Score: 7.64)
- United Airlines – (globally ranked No. 13; AirHelp Score: 7.54)
- Delta Air Lines – (globally ranked No. 15; AirHelp Score: 7.46)
- Frontier Airlines – (globally ranked No. 36; AirHelp Score: 7.07)
- Hawaiian Airlines – (globally ranked No. 50; AirHelp Score: 6.73)
- Southwest Airlines – (globally ranked No. 52; AirHelp Score: 6.68)
- Alaska Airlines – (globally ranked No. 76; AirHelp Score: 5.95)
- JetBlue – (globally ranked No. 89; AirHelp Score: 5.31)
